dynamicspartan

Thanks for the info and suggestions. That Faust piece looks very interesting. For how long I've been interested in the Civil War, I've never truly been able to wrap my head around the sheer immensity of the death that took place. A sadness that can be often Cooley overlooked. Also, were you referring to Gary Gallagher? I have definitely picked up on both of those names and plan to read them presently. I am commencing a boot camp of required reading over the next year and those are at the top. I appreciate the guidance on the crowded field. Assuming I have the chops to cut it, is there hope of being accepted/be successful in the field currently?

Edward Rutherfurd is the man. If you like Sarum, read London. Also, he just released his newest, Paris.

Thank you both for the replies! This initial advice is exactly what I was seeking. Thanks, futurephd, for the specific reading suggestions. Though I am leaning towards American history, I have always had a passion for the history of Europe, specifically that of the influence and politics of the Church. I was able to study in Rome and Florence for the summer, but I do not have the language skill. I do have a background in Romance languages, as I became pretty proficient in French, though I have let that fall out of practice. I've looked into possibilities such as books like "French for Reading". I honestly have a head for the grammar and vocab of reading/writing a language, and can pick it up quickly, my challenge has always been speaking. What is the expectation for an entering grad student in a European history field in terms of language? Is a proficiency in reading and writing sufficient? How would they look at that? Again, thank you for the information!

Hi! New to the forum, but have absolutely loved poring over others' experiences and advice here. I am not sure if my situation is unique or not, but after sifting through threads, I thought I would ask for others' opinion on my specific situation. I graduated with two bachelor's degrees in May '12 from Michigan State University. I graduated with a 3.86 cumulative GPA. As more time has separated me from my undergrad, it has become more clear to me that my interest in history, writing, and research is more than that, and is something I want to pursue in my career. Specifically, I have become more and more interested in the American Civil War era and the history of the American Presidency. My primary undergraduate degree of International Relations was earned from James Madison College at MSU, and is deeply rooted in the history of democracy, political theory, and international foreign policy. Thus, my degree program was not an explicit history program, but offered similar coursework and a rigorous research and writing environment. I guess my question is - how difficult would it be for me to make the switch into a Phd program for history? What suggestions do you have for me to use my undergrad and experience to gain admittance to top tier grad schools for history?